John Wick Creator’s New Action Thriller Normal Comes to HBO Max

Bob Odenkirk is heading back into action, this time as a small-town sheriff caught in a conspiracy that reaches far beyond a botched bank robbery. Normal, the gritty action thriller written by John Wick creator Derek Kolstad, arrives on HBO Max on August 14, 2026, following its theatrical release in April and its digital and physical home-video releases.

The film puts Odenkirk in the role of Sheriff Ulysses, an interim lawman assigned to the seemingly quiet town of Normal, Minnesota. What initially looks like a straightforward temporary posting quickly turns into something much more dangerous when a bank robbery exposes secrets buried beneath the town’s peaceful exterior.

A Small Town With a Very Big Secret

Ulysses arrives in Normal hoping for a quieter chapter after personal problems and difficult experiences on the job. That plan falls apart when a robbery at a local bank sets off a chain of events that reveals the town is anything but ordinary.

The official synopsis describes Ulysses’ posting as a potential respite from his marital troubles and recent moral injuries in the line of duty. Instead, the robbery draws him into a much larger criminal operation, forcing him to question the people around him and fight to survive.

The film’s official material also makes clear that the conspiracy eventually reaches the Yakuza, raising the stakes well beyond the initial bank robbery. Ulysses must rely on unlikely allies as the situation spirals into increasingly violent territory.

That premise gives Normal a familiar small-town crime setup while allowing Kolstad to bring the hard-edged action associated with his work on the John Wick and Nobody films.

Derek Kolstad Returns to Action

Normal is the latest feature screenplay from Derek Kolstad, the writer who created the John Wick franchise. Kolstad also wrote Nobody and Nobody 2, making his collaboration with Odenkirk a continuation of their work together on that action series.

His credits extend beyond film as well. Kolstad has written for Marvel’s The Falcon and the Winter Soldier and served as an executive producer on The Continental: From the World of John Wick and Splinter Cell: Deathwatch.

Odenkirk, Kolstad and Marc Provissiero produced Normal. The executive producers are Josh Adler, Rhonda Baker, Carrie Wilkins, Glenn Feig, Molly C. Quinn, Matthew M. Welty, Elan Gale, Matthew J. Anderson, Jared D. Underwood and Andrew C. Robinson.

Ben Wheatley Directs

Behind the camera, Ben Wheatley directs from Kolstad’s screenplay. Wheatley is known for films including Meg 2: The Trench, as well as his work on television, including episodes of Doctor Who.

The film premiered at the 2025 Toronto International Film Festival before receiving its U.S. theatrical release from Magnolia Pictures on April 17, 2026. It later became available digitally on May 19 and on Blu-ray and DVD in July.

Normal has also attracted a 77% Tomatometer score on Rotten Tomatoes, based on 164 reviews at the time of the current listing. The film grossed about $6 million worldwide, according to the figures associated with the film.

Bob Odenkirk Leads a Strong Cast

Odenkirk is joined by an ensemble that includes Henry Winkler, Lena Headey, Ryan Allen, Reena Jolly, Billy MacLellan, Brendan Fletcher, Peter Shinkoda and Jess McLeod.

Winkler plays Mayor Kibner, adding another familiar face to the film’s increasingly suspicious small-town setting. The role also marked Winkler’s return to a major feature-film appearance after his cameo in Black Adam.

The veteran actor has remained active on television in recent years, appearing in projects including Life, Larry and the Pursuit of Unhappiness, Loot, American Horror Stories, The Legend of Vox Machina, Monsters at Work and Barry. His performance in Barry earned him his first Emmy win.

Lena Headey, meanwhile, joins Odenkirk as Moira, while the supporting cast includes Ryan Allen as Deputy Blaine Anderson, Billy MacLellan as Deputy Mike Nelson, Brendan Fletcher as Keith, Reena Jolly as Lori, Peter Shinkoda as Joe and Jess McLeod as Alex.

Another Action Role for Odenkirk

Normal continues a notable shift in Odenkirk’s career. After becoming widely known for his comedy work and his roles as Saul Goodman in Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul, he established himself as an action lead with Nobody.

Following the conclusion of Better Call Saul in 2022, Odenkirk returned to television in Lucky Hank and The Bear. He also returned to the big screen for the sequel to Nobody.

Normal reunites him with the creative team behind that action-driven phase of his career, while giving him a different kind of protagonist: a sheriff trying to understand why the supposedly quiet community around him is suddenly turning against him.

When Does Normal Arrive on HBO Max?

HBO Max has scheduled Normal for August 14, 2026. The film is part of a busy August lineup that also includes The Strangers: Chapter 1, The Strangers: Chapter 2, Mother Mary, Happy Feet Two, Practical Magic, Sicario, Stand By Me, Taxi, Thanksgiving and The Cabin in the Woods.

The month also features new HBO Max programming including Lanterns Season 1, Conan O’Brien Must Go Season 3, Hard Knocks: Training Camp with the Seattle Seahawks and Monsters of God.

For anyone who missed Normal during its theatrical run, the HBO Max release offers another opportunity to see Odenkirk take on his latest action role, with Kolstad’s crime-thriller setup and Wheatley’s direction bringing the story to the screen.

Watch the Official Trailer

The official trailer from Magnolia Pictures & Magnet Releasing gives a look at Bob Odenkirk, Henry Winkler and Lena Headey in the film.